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Tag: backyard design

Texas Custom Patios is a family-owned and operated business located in Houston, Texas and Irving, Texas, but our service area covers most of the greater Houston area and parts of the Dallas – Fort Worth area. We have completed more than 1,600 outdoor living projects since we opened our doors in 2004. As we celebrate our 15 year anniversary we thought it would be neat to talk with one of our owners, Robert Douglass, to hear some of the stories that built TCP into what it is today.

Growning up was this what you wanted to do?

I always had an interest in building and in outdoor living. My father was handy while I was growing up, building and repairing anything around the house. When I became a homeowner, I took on many of the same types of projects: tile, flagstone, decks, pergolas, kitchen and bath remodels, etc. I never considered doing this for a career until I moved back to Houston in 2001 and saw thousands of new homes in Fort Bend County and no company focused specifically on outdoor living.

The first half of my career I worked as a YMCA director for 18 years. While it seems like a complete 180 from construction, I had many facility responsibilities. I planned new facilities, additions, and renovations, from working with architects, to selecting contractors, to supervising the projects. It was one of my favorite parts of the job.

Do you recall your first project?

The first project I built was for a friend…a small wood deck and pergola, and a slate patio. Before we built the project, I tried out the framing crew on a project at my house and worked with them. The business started with smaller projects that didn’t require many trades. But with each new job, the projects became more complicated… roof structures, screened porches, lots of masonry work, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, entertainment packages. Because we are usually designing and building to look original to the home, we’ve had to constantly evolve and find new trades. But the first few projects were very simple

What was your vision for the company in the beginning?

We have a great opportunity in our business to create a space that will potentially be our client’s favorite “room” in the house. We get to take a blank slate and turn the backyard into a much more usable space. The vision was to offer a turnkey experience that included creative design, managing approvals (HOA and permitting), and then building a high-quality, all-inclusive project. Our vision was to serve the entire Greater Houston Area by having Project Developers who lived and worked in different service areas. Finally, we hoped to develop a trade base of craftsmen who are experts in their particular area; who can grow with us; and who can meet the challenges of increasingly complex jobs. Ultimately, we wanted to complete a final project that exceeds the clients expectations, helps them enjoy their backyard, and adds value to their home.

What is your vision for the company now?

First, we see our design work as something that really sets us apart. We are constantly providing continuing education to our Project Developers so that every client is getting the best project to meet their practical needs and their aesthetic wants. We want to be on top of the latest trends and products, and we even want to pioneer some new ideas based on our vast experience in outdoor living.

Second, we want to give our clients a positive experience on the project management side of the business. That’s what turns into good reviews and referrals. That means creating best practices for scheduling and supervising trades and making consistent progress on jobs through to project completion. It’s not easy… many factors impact that, including weather and bottlenecks with some of our trades. In the areas where we have bottlenecks, we are constantly trying to broaden and improve our trade base.

Finally, in 2015, we opened a new office in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We realize we have a business model that is replicable and we hope to explore opportunities to continue expanding into other markets. But for now, we have our hands full just serving the entire Houston and DFW areas. Katherine (owner and wife) and I grew up in Conroe and we recognize that we have only a minor presence north of The Woodlands… Montgomery County is an area of growth that we will pursue in the next couple of years.

What has been the most rewarding?

By far the most rewarding aspect of creating a new business has been the understanding that we are providing a livelihood for over one hundred people. Not just the full-time employees in two offices, but dozens of sub-contractor crews who primarily work for TCP going from job to job. Each of those subs have numerous employees creating long-term relationships that have been rewarding.

What has been tough?

The biggest challenge is managing growth. When do we bring on a new Project Developer? How do we grow the trade base to meet the increased demand? So many questions we have to ask ourselves along the way.

What sets TCP apart from other remodel companies in your eyes?

At Texas Custom Patios, we offer personalized service and flexible payment terms, and when you choose to work with us, you’ll work with the same project developer every step of the way, from the preliminary design stage to project completion and clean-up.

Although we’ve built over 1600 projects, we’ve probably visited 10,000 people over the years. When you meet that many people, you’re going to run into some characters. Like the homeowner who wanted me to look out his back window so I could see that he didn’t have a “money tree.”

What does that mean? Well, turnkey design solutions plays a huge part in what we do here at Texas Custom Patios, we are not architects… we are builders, creators, designers! We specialize in the art of unifying aesthetics and function to create a beautiful outdoor living area that is not only visually appealing, but also uniquely purposeful. Our services include: patio covers; outdoor kitchens; screened porches and patios; room additions; pergolas and decks; outdoor fireplaces; and more. View our portfolio.

Every square inch of each project is meticulously thought out and custom to each home. There are no two projects alike with every single one appearing to be built when the home was built. Everything from roofing material to siding and brick, you won’t be able to tell where your house stops and your outdoor living space begins. Part of the fun is being able to sit down with you and create your dream space. As you come up with ideas our project managers talk you through the process to tell you what would be best both as a build out and for your budget.

When you schedule a consultation with one of our experienced project developers, you will be walked through our process, we will hear your ideas and discuss options. From there the developer will leave and develop a proposal that is more than just a ballpark figure of the cost! At Texas Custom Patios, every estimate includes a detailed drawing with specifications and dimensions, plus rendered views and elevations – so you can see a preview of your completed project. So like we said before, we create, we design, we build and you enjoy, and all for one cost and one crew. You will have one person as an advocate for you and your project, making it easy to keep things on track and know what’s going on with your new space from start to finish!

Chances are if you are reading this blog right now, you are doing some patio pondering. So will it be a covered patio or pergola? Outdoor kitchen or dining (or both)? Maybe a fireplace or perhaps a beautifully lit fire pit? Stone, granite, paint color … so many things to think about, but your first question should be … why Texas Custom Patios?

Let us help you answer that first! We are a family-owned and operated business with offices located in Houston and Irving, Texas. We proudly serve the greater Houston area and parts of Dallas/Fort Worth. We have completed thousands of outdoor living projects since we opened our patio doors in 2004.

The TCP Difference

We offer personalized service and flexible payment terms, and when you choose to work with us, you’ll work with the same project developer every step of the way. Start to finish, preliminary design stage all the way to project completion and clean-up. It’s nice to have one main person that you can really count on each day.

We specialize in providing turnkey design solutions for outdoor living, including patio covers; outdoor kitchens; screened porches; room additions; pergolas and decks; outdoor fire features and so much more! View our portfolio here to get a better idea of what you would like.

We Stand Behind Our Work

At Texas Custom Patios, we’re confident in our work, and we want you to feel confident, too! That’s why we offer a two-year warranty for materials and workmanship, and a five-year warranty for structural components of your home improvement project. We also have one million dollars in liability insurance to protect against accidents and injury.

Exact Quote Promise

When you schedule a consultation with one of our experienced project developers, you’ll receive more than just a ballpark figure. We’ll tell you exactly how much your outdoor living project will cost – down to the penny! So many times if you get a bid from multiple builders, they will give you a soft bid to entice you, but the costs add up as the project gets built, leaving you with something much higher than you were promised. Every estimate of ours includes a detailed drawing with specifications and dimensions, plus rendered views and elevations -so you can see a preview of your completed project! It’s like your day dreams come to life on paper, making it that much more fun to start building!

The Best of the Best (we always come full circle)

Year after year we are awarded and recognized for being the best in the business. We constantly receive an A+ from the BBB (read our reviews here), and we are noticed by everyone from the National Association of Home Builders to fans on Houzz. We love hearing from our customers and sharing the stories of how what we build for them has changed their lives.

We hope you will give us the chance to build a dream for you, but before we do that, let’s get to know us.

Meet our Houston team!

Rob Douglass – Partner and Project Developer

Rob is a family man who loves Houston, enjoys the outdoors and watching sports (his superstitions played a big part in the Astros World Series win)!

I was a YMCA Director before starting Texas Custom Patios in 2004. The thing I enjoy most about TCP is seeing our talented Project Developers take our business in new directions with creative design ideas and problem-solving techniques. Fun fact… I’m preparing to be a first-time grandfather in 2018!

Katherine Douglass – Managing Partner and Office Manager

Katherine is energetic and loves to laugh!

I love being a part of a company that works with homeowners to create a new and exciting outdoor space at their homes. Fun fact… I have taught dance for more years than I want to admit and have been the Grandmother and Rat King in BalletForte’s Nutcracker for 16 years.

Steven Schell – Partner and Project Developer

Steven has been an expert in outdoor living for most of his adult life.

I love designing unique/functional outdoor spaces and teaching others to do the same! Fun fact… I once broke both arms at the same time. Ouch!

Ryan Guikema – Project Developer

Ryan has been with TCP for 8 years and helps in the the South/Southeast Houston area.

My background is in Commercial Project Management and Contractor/Retail Sales. I love the ability we bring to make someone’s backyard dreams a reality. Fun fact… I’m a musician and am pretty handy in the kitchen… outdoor kitchen that is.

Brian Reed – Project Manager

Brian is a family man and has been married for 17 years and is a proud dad to two sons!

It is great working for TCP because we get to help homeowners bring their backyards from a dream/wish to reality. Fun fact… I am a huge fan of sports and music.

Chris Clark – Project Developer

Chris is a retired veteran and has lived in Texas for the last 5 years!

I love being able to create a space that families will enjoy and use to come together. Fun fact… I love to travel and have been able to visit almost 20 countries and have lived in 6 countries for 6 months or more.

Dean Pyfferoen – Project Developer

Dean is originally from Wisconsin and is a father of two!

My prior careers were in bridge construction and account management for a construction supply company. I love seeing a project grow from a drawing to the actual finished product, also I love the people we work with. Fun fact… I’m a big baseball fan and love hanging by the ocean!

Daniel Vedas – Assistant Project Manager

Daniel loves to golf, hunt, fish and is a sand volleyball enthusiast.

I come from a project managing background for a low voltage electric company. I love working with Texas Custom Patios because it gives me the ability to provide people with a quality project, plus I love seeing our projects featured online and in magazines! Fun fact… I have broken over 10 bones before the age of 30.

Kendall Adams – Office assistant

Kendall is originally from Houston but has also lived on the East & West coasts. She has four wonderful kids!

I am so thankful for my people, the ones I get to do life with. I love the great people I get to work with at TCP! Fun fact… I like to climb mountains, jump hurdles, and enjoy roller coaster rides.

Brandi Howard – Office Assistant

Brandi is married and has two beautiful daughters. She grew up in a beach town in Florida, but moved to Texas 25 years ago.

Before working for Texas Custom Patios I was a System Consultant, but joined the TCP family 5 years ago. It’s fun to be able to talk to clients on the phone to find out their wants and needs of a project and get them set up with a Project Manager. It’s great to be able to help them get started with that dream project. Fun fact… My family and I love Disney World. We generally vacation there once or twice a year.

Each month we feature one of our most gorgeous projects, whether it be a covered patio or an outdoor kitchen with a stunning fire feature, contemporary or traditional … we give you a glimpse of a highlighted completed project! These projects were built in the greater Houston area and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Let’s take a look back at the projects that really stood out for 2017.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Click the month below for a link to full details re: that particular project.

We are so excited, one of our gorgeous patios was recently featured on KHOU-TV CH. 11’s Great Day Houston! They sipped coffee and discussed how to create your own backyard oasis! What are the musts? Watch here!

Every Texas Custom Patios project is custom-designed and built to enhance your home and complement your personality. While we are great at perfecting your dream patio, we know you as homeowners have many questions. Will you take care of the HOA? Why is budget important? And the most popular question under the sun … By adding a patio cover, will I lose all my natural light inside my home?

There are so many answers to ease the worry over the loss of natural light. The short answer is, no you will not lose your natural light. Your lighting varies based on many factors, not just by the sole fact of adding or extending the amount of covered area you have on the exterior of your home.

Here are some things that should be considered …

Good daylighting is the interaction between lots of factors, including:

Orientation of your home (windows facing north, south, etc …)

Proper window design

Light control (blinds, shades, etc.)

Existing overhead lighting

It can even come down to things you may never have thought of:

Interior design, such as the arrangement of furniture and paint colors

Reflective surfaces, both inside and outside your house

Supplemental (artificial) lighting

We as design experts can take your vision and reflect upon it to build the most perfect outdoor area that is custom perfection for YOUR home!

Many steps, calculations, and ideas are thought out before the render is built. We then put our mastered skills to work and your dream is built!

Reviews

Have a project in mind?We work throughout the Houston and Dallas - Fort Worth areas.

Our Customers Love Us

We worked with Mark, who came to us with plans and fully explained the costs, materials, timeline, and talked about the construction methods. The project was well organized, with a new crew arriving once each stage of construction was completed. I kept a photo record of it, which was fun and friends are wowed by the timeline. I completely recommend Texas Custom Patios.

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Virtual Initial Appointments During COVID-19

As we continue to monitor the situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19), we are taking steps to help protect the health and well-being of our customers and employees. If you are able to do an initial appointment virtually, we are willing and able to accommodate you. Give us a call, and we can start the process today.